For 10 consecutive years I built this business as we continually innovated to launch and active promote new tests such as stress echocardiography, dobutamine stress echoes, transesophageal echos and we had the only mobile echo service that provided much needed support to cardiothoracic surgeons in a private hospital. The practice was the biggest in Australia and the partners at the practice made significant income over a long period.
Sailing in the Rain, Fremantle, Western Australia Photo by Barry Epstein
I had negotiated a very large tenancy in a brand new private hospital and we offered a quick cardiology diagnostic and consultant service to the emergency department that was unheard of previously. We provided daily echo service in the coronary care unit( CCU) that boosted the quality of care in this unit and most of the time I was the echocardiographer in this ward. It was so interesting to work with the medical specialists that worked in this unit. I was asked to echo a patient one day that had some cardiac symptoms. Within seconds I
Fishing Boat Harbour, Fremantle, Western Australia Photo by Barry Epstein
was able to diagnose a large amount of fluid around the heart that prevented the heart from functioning properly. I then assisted the cardiologist to do a procedure that used ultrasound to guide a needle to then drain the fluid. A relatively straight forward procedure. The next day, I did another echo and found that the fluid was back at the same volume as before. Again, they drained the fluid under ultrasound guidance. The doctors had no idea why this fluid had returned so quickly. I stayed with the patient and used the echo device to perform another full study. Under very close analysis, I found a small tumor on the outside of the heart and I informed the doctors. This was clearly the cause of the fluid and the tumor was surgically removed and it was found to be benign. Echocardiographers routinely diagnose disease of the heart structures and blood flow and are usually first to see this and report on it prior to the cardiologists review of it. It is rewarding in several ways as you get to literally diagnose a medical condition albeit sometimes with routine issues but other times a rare disease. There is a good and highly professional working relationship between the technologist and the medical specialist that fosters ongoing learning and mutual respect.
BARRY STEVEN EPSTEIN- PhotoAutobiography DRAFT 69 of 156